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Phillips resigns as Rincon city manager
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Rincon City Manager Michael Phillips resigned his position Monday night, effective immediately.

Phillips submitted his resignation to city council following an executive session at the close of the council’s meeting Monday night. Mayor Ken Lee said the resignation was a mutual agreement between Phillips and the city council.

“We felt it was best we parted company at this time,” Lee said.

Previous city manager Donald Toms submitted his resignation in December 2008, ending his tenure with the city the following month. The position was vacant for about three months when council members pared down the list of 40 applicants to two finalists.

Phillips was offered the job in April 2009.

Phillips had been the city manager of Chester, S.C., and county manager in Appling County before coming to Rincon.

The city has not begun advertising for the position, and it may be a while before that happens. With half the city council up for election in November, that decision may be reserved for any new members of the council to make.

“We have not discussed advertising the position,” Mayor Ken Lee said. “I am sure that we will at the first opportunity. Normally, we would fill it as quickly as possible.”

Lee also pointed to the city’s staff as one reason the city council may not feel the need to move as swiftly as in past instances.

“We’re in a position with our staff where we’re much, much stronger, much deeper than we’ve ever been,” he said. “I don’t see that there’s the urgency — not that we don’t need to fill it — to fill it that maybe there has been in the past. That gives us a little flexibility in the decision, as far as the timing and filling it.”